Slide bearing and strut-type suspension

Abstract

Provided are: a slide bearing configured so that degradation in sliding performance caused by the entry of dust, muddy water, etc. can be prevented at low cost; and a strut-type suspension using the slide bearing. A slide bearing ( 1 ) is provided with: an upper case ( 2 ); a lower case ( 3 ) joined to the upper case ( 2 ) in a pivotal manner and forming an annular space ( 5 ) between the upper case ( 2 ) and the lower case ( 3 ); and an annular center plate ( 4 ) disposed in the annular space ( 5 ). An annular lip ( 43 ) is formed integrally at the outer peripheral edge ( 423 ) of the flange ( 42 ) of the center plate ( 4 ). The lip ( 43 ) is in contact, while deflecting, with an annular protrusion ( 252 ) formed in an annular groove ( 24 ) in the upper case ( 2 ) and covers a thrust bearing surface ( 422 ) and a thrust supporting surface ( 251 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A slide bearing for supporting a load of a support target, comprising:
 an upper case which is subjected to the load of the support target; 
 a lower case which is rotatably combined with the upper case and forms an annular space, in combination with the upper case; and 
 a center plate which is placed in the annular space and functions as a bearing body realizing rotation between the upper case and the lower case, wherein: 
 the center plate has a lip which is integrally formed with at least one of outer and inner peripheral edges of the center plate; and the lip comes in contact with the upper case or the lower case, in which a support-target surface that slides against a bearing surface formed in the center plate is formed, so as to cover a sliding area between the bearing surface and the support-target surface from an outer or inner periphery side; 
 the support-target surface is formed in the upper case; 
 the upper case has an annular protrusion formed on an outer periphery side of the support-target surface; and 
 the lip is integrally formed with the outer peripheral edge of the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with the annular protrusion formed on the outer periphery side of the support-target surface of the upper case. 
 
     
     
       2. A slide bearing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lip is formed to be thinner than the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed, thereby to give reaction force to a contact portion between the lip and the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed. 
 
     
     
       3. A slide bearing for supporting a load of a support target, comprising:
 an upper case which is subjected to the load of the support target; 
 a lower case which is rotatably combined with the upper case and forms an annular space, in combination with the upper case; and 
 a center plate which is placed in the annular space and functions as a bearing body realizing rotation between the upper case and the lower case, wherein: 
 the center plate has a lip which is integrally formed with at least one of outer and inner peripheral edges of the center plate; and the lip comes in contact with the upper case or the lower case, in which a support-target surface that slides against a bearing surface formed in the center plate is formed, so as to cover a sliding area between the bearing surface and the support-target surface from an outer or inner periphery side; 
 the support-target surface is formed in the upper case; 
 the upper case has an annular groove which has a groove bottom in which the support-target surface is formed, and which forms the annular space when rotatably combined with the lower case; and 
 the lip is integrally formed with the outer peripheral edge of the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with the groove bottom of the annular groove of the upper case. 
 
     
     
       4. A slide bearing of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the lip is formed to be thinner than the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed, thereby to give reaction force to a contact portion between the lip and the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed. 
 
     
     
       5. A slide bearing for supporting a load of a support target, comprising:
 an upper case which is subjected to the load of the support target; 
 a lower case which is rotatably combined with the upper case and forms an annular space, in combination with the upper case; and 
 a center plate which is placed in the annular space and functions as a bearing body realizing rotation between the upper case and the lower case, wherein: 
 the center plate has a lip which is integrally formed with at least one of outer and inner peripheral edges of the center plate; and the lip comes in contact with the upper case or the lower case, in which a support-target surface that slides against a bearing surface formed in the center plate is formed, so as to cover a sliding area between the bearing surface and the support-target surface from an outer or inner periphery side; 
 the support-target surface is formed in the upper case; 
 the upper case has an annular groove which has a groove bottom in which the support-target surface is formed, and which forms the annular space when rotatably combined with the lower case; and 
 the lip is integrally formed with the outer peripheral edge of the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with an outer-periphery sidewall of the annular groove of the upper case. 
 
     
     
       6. A slide bearing of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the lip is formed to be thinner than the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed, thereby to give reaction force to a contact portion between the lip and the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed. 
 
     
     
       7. A slide bearing for supporting a load of a support target, comprising:
 an upper case which is subjected to the load of the support target; 
 a lower case which is rotatably combined with the upper case and forms an annular space, in combination with the upper case; and 
 a center plate which is placed in the annular space and functions as a bearing body realizing rotation between the upper case and the lower case, wherein: 
 the center plate has a lip which is integrally formed with at least one of outer and inner peripheral edges of the center plate; and the lip comes in contact with the upper case or the lower case, in which a support-target surface that slides against a bearing surface formed in the center plate is formed, so as to cover a sliding area between the bearing surface and the support-target surface from an outer or inner periphery side; 
 the lower case has discharge holes for discharging muddy water which has intruded into the annular space. 
 
     
     
       8. A slide bearing of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the lip is formed to be thinner than the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed, thereby to give reaction force to a contact portion between the lip and the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed. 
 
     
     
       9. A slide bearing for supporting a load of a support target, comprising:
 an upper case which is subjected to the load of the support target; 
 a lower case which is rotatably combined with the upper case and forms an annular space, in combination with the upper case; and 
 a center plate which is placed in the annular space and functions as a bearing body realizing rotation between the upper case and the lower case, wherein: 
 the center plate has a lip which is integrally formed with at least one of outer and inner peripheral edges of the center plate; and the lip comes in contact with the upper case or the lower case, in which a support-target surface that slides against a bearing surface formed in the center plate is formed, so as to cover a sliding area between the bearing surface and the support-target surface from an outer or inner periphery side; 
 the slide bearing supports the load of the support target which is applied to a shaft member, while allowing rotation of the shaft member; 
 the upper case is fitted to a mounting mechanism for mounting the shaft member to the support target, in a state that the shaft member is inserted in the upper case; 
 the lower case is fitted to a spring seat for an upper end of a coil spring combined with the shaft member, in a state that the shaft member is inserted in the lower case; and 
 the center plate is placed in the annular space, in a state that the shaft member is inserted in the center plate. 
 
     
     
       10. A slide bearing of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the lower case is formed integrally with the spring seat for the upper end of the coil spring. 
 
     
     
       11. A strut-type suspension used as a suspension of a vehicle comprising:
 a strut assembly including a piston rod and a hydraulic shock absorber; 
 a coil spring into which the piston rod is inserted and which is rotated together with the strut assembly by steering operation; and 
 the slide bearing of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the upper case of the slide bearing is fitted to an upper mount which is the mounting mechanism for mounting the strut assembly to a body of the vehicle, in state that the piston rod is inserted in the upper case; and 
 the spring seat of the lower case of the slide bearing supports the upper end of the coil spring. 
 
     
     
       12. A strut-type suspension of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the lip is formed to be thinner than the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed, thereby to give reaction force to a contact portion between the lip and the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed. 
 
     
     
       13. A slide bearing of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the lip is formed to be thinner than the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed, thereby to give reaction force to a contact portion between the lip and the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed. 
 
     
     
       14. A strut-type suspension used as a suspension of a vehicle, comprising:
 a strut assembly including a piston rod and a hydraulic shock absorber; 
 a coil spring into which the piston rod is inserted and which is rotated together with the strut assembly by steering operation; and 
 the slide bearing of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the upper case of the slide bearing is fitted to an upper mount which is the mounting mechanism for mounting the strut assembly to a vehicle body, in a state that the piston rod is inserted in the upper case; and 
 the lower case of the slide bearing is fitted to an upper spring seat which is the spring seat for the upper end of the coil spring. 
 
     
     
       15. A strut-type suspension of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the lip is formed to be thinner than the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed, thereby to give reaction force to a contact portion between the lip and the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed. 
 
     
     
       16. A slide bearing of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the lip is formed to be thinner than the center plate and comes in contact, while being bent, with the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed, thereby to give reaction force to a contact portion between the lip and the upper case or the lower case in which the support-target surface is formed.